The pressure equipment industry has stepped up to meet interna- tional accreditation demands to ensure compliance with both domestic and global standards, and is on a par with, or in some areas ahead of, its international counterparts, reports Pressure Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) chairperson Peter Viljoen.

“This is as a result of technological advances mainly involving computer numeric controlled equipment, such as bending and rolling machines, that have distinguished South Africa’s local offering,” he adds.

An advantage of this is that an operator of such machinery does not have to be highly skilled, complementing the skills of the available labour force in this particular field in South Africa, he says

Viljoen says that advances in tech- nology and equipment have contributed to job creation, and the effective use and upliftment of individuals.

Technological Advancement

“Technological advancement is an ongoing process; however, the local industry has taken note of the benefits and is more open to change than before. In the past, the South African industry was not competing on an international level, but on a local level. “Now that the industry has entered the global market, companies have realised the importance of adopting international procedures and techno- logical advancements to avoid being left behind,” he adds.

Further, he explains that all markets in the industry have become very com- petitive in pricing, quality and adherence to strict project timelines. However, with most projects having an overseas financial component, management houses tend to favour their home-based suppliers, which poses a problem for the efficient and timely execution of projects.

“We are in a better position to supply local projects from a timing aspect because we are local. “This means that factors such as the transport delays when importing com- ponents are mitigated.

“Local pressure equipment companies are having to compete against foreign companies for contracts for local pro- jects. “This is a major challenge faced by the industry, with the South African pressure equipment manufacturing industry having to compete against certain Eastern countries, such as India and China, which offer subsidised export rates,” says Viljoen.

He believes that a closer working relationship with government and increased involvement in capital development projects will solve this challenge and create a greater understanding of the industry, as well as provide acknowledgment of its capabilities.

To ensure industry recognition, the association is tasked to interact at strategic levels to secure contracts for companies in the industry. Major plants owned by petrochemicals group Sasol and State-owned power utility Eskom, as well as mining process plants and steel plants, have all been fabricated and erected by the local pressure equipment industry, which proves that it is capable of managing large projects using only local content.

Financial Stability

Further, Viljoen explains that the recession has taught the industry to manipulate its resources to suit the financial climate as well as create strict control mechanisms and cement business relationships.

“The development and ongoing financial stability of any country is directly linked to its engineering design and fabrication competence. “The engineering sector in South Africa normally lags behind as a result of a recession; however, we are optimis- tic that our country is on route to maintaining strategic development programmes and creating business confidence to build and develop process plant capacity,” he says.

Name Change

To assist the process of aligning with new pressure equipment regulations (PER) introduced in the amendment of the Occupation Health and Safety Act No 85 of 1993, in 2009, indus- try body the Pressure Vessel Manufac- turers Association of South Africa (PVMA) was relaunched as the PEMA, explains Viljoen.

Changes to the PER have resulted in more supply chain companies that are involved in the manufacturing of pres- sure vessels being affected by the regulations, as they were not included in the past.

“We have aligned our membership to cater for these companies. The PVMA was directly in line with the old Act regulations, which defined the manufac- turer, while the new regulations include all the different facets of fabrication; therefore, the PER directly affects other industries,” explains Viljoen.

He says that the launch of the new name correlates with the association’s revamp of its philosophy, which involves making the body more relevant to its members and the industry as a whole.

The PEMA aims to represent its members’ interests in major national projects, at supply management forums that are run by large end-users and State-owned enterprises, and in the formulation of legislation and standards, such as the Act and, specifically, Sans 347, which concerns the categorisation and conformity assessment criteria for all pressure equipment.

Further, the association also aims to develop skills at all levels in the industry and to promote the use of local content, local manufacturers and export opportunities, while regulating relations between members and employees or trade unions, he concludes.